The automation of nano particle sample delivery for protein crystallography experiments using an evanescent field optical tweezing technique

This paper describes the development and partial characterization of a novel microfluidic based, evanescent field optical tweezing device for the potential application as an innovative automated loading solution for nano dimensional samples at synchrotron and XFEL beamlines, replacing the currently implemented top down, 'clumsy' robotic systems. By both modifying and characterizing the standard microfluidic device, the device has become capable of X-ray transmission experiments and has also been used for the characterization tests trapping micron and nano dimensional particles, Characterization experiments described here have focused on the effect laser power has on the trapping behavior of the device, with reported results of 75 mW as the optimal trapping power for 500nm polystyrene nanospheres in their native buffer. The system is described comprehensively by Docker et al elsewhere[1].